


exam preparations

by tototooru



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Crushes, Cuddles, First Kiss, Fluff, I forgot how to tag, M/M, Mutual Pining, Soft!!!!, Studying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 12:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14402247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tototooru/pseuds/tototooru
Summary: ending up with a roommate like jaemin was quite difficult for jeno as soon as he realized he was developing feelings for him a.k.a the most attractive person he had ever laid his eyes on.he was always way too careful not to invade his personal space just because he always wanted to hold his hand, to hug him, and maybe cuddle him to sleep, and probably even kiss his soft-looking pink lips.but that turned out to be even more difficult when he had to spend more time with jaemin than usual just so he could help him get the best grade in his upcoming science exam.





	exam preparations

as usual, jeno was awake even though it was late at night. he was snuggled against his blanket comfortably and browsing social medias calmly just like he did every other night as if he didn't need to wake up early in the morning of the same day.

but that was just what he was used to - staying up after midnight and sometimes even until the early hours of the morning and somehow surviving with the few hours of sleep he got daily. if he got any sleep at all in the first place.

he barely ever studied but he still had relatively good grades. or at least they were satisfying enough for his parents not to make him go to additional lessons aside of school. that was his greatest nightmare and one of the few things that gave him at least a bit of motivation to study from time to time. it was enough, he guessed. and it wasn't like he was so stupid to a point that he had given up on studying. it was exactly the opposite. he was smart enough to see there was no point in studying all these things except the most important. 

also, he was lazy. period.

but then there was his roommate jaemin, who always studied and aimed to get the best grades in all of his classes. for no reason at all aside of him setting that as his own personal goal. and it wasn't like he was forced by his parents. he just liked studying most of the time.

maybe that day wasn't one of those times. jaemin was sitting at the desk next to jeno's bed, frustrated because he had to study for an exam. jeno noticed how he was pulling at his hair. he was probably going to get bald soon. but that was just a wild prediction jeno made all of a sudden.

usually, jaemin was the one, who went to bed early and if jeno had to think about it more, he had never actually seen him up this late before except on new year's. and if we don't count all the times when jaemin woke up in the middle of the night to drink water or to go to the restroom. in both occasions, jeno was almost always awake to witness that. but now it was different.

the younger boy was so stressed about his exam that he couldn't even sleep, so he decided that it was better to spend his night studying. since he had actually tried to sleep before taking the memorable decision, his hair was really messy from all the spinning around in bed while he was searching for a comfortable position to sleep in. he was in a loose white t-shirt that he had most likely stolen from jeno (most likely just borrowed it once but then never gave it back) and his soft pajama pants that he wore almost every given opportunity.

he was lightly spinning on the office chair in front of the desk while trying to organize everything that he wrote down in his notebook. all over the desk there were textbooks scattered and jaemin was struggling to remember everything at once. it certainly wasn't working when he was under so much pressure. an hour ago all this seemed like the best idea he had ever had or he was just excited about staying up late but he was already highlighting every second thing out of stress because he saw everything as an important thing he should definitely learn and he was probably at the verge of tears.

every time when a soft sigh escaped jaemin's lips it caught jeno's attention. the latter always glanced up at jaemin, studying his face and all the expressions he went through. not only that it was rare to see him up late, it was also rare to see him that stressed. but jeno also found something really cute in all that. the way his eyebrows always knitted up lightly, the way a little pout appeared on his lips every time he realized he had done something wrong and had to redo it, the way he was nervously biting on his lower lip.

and jeno found all of that cute not because he had fun seeing him suffer. it was just that... na jaemin was gorgeous. from head to toe. and everything he did looked so beautiful and somehow even graceful just because it was no one else but  _him_  doing it. jeno had fallen really hard and for a good reason.

but enough of that. jeno being so whipped wasn't going to help jaemin with studying. or it was but not in that way. jaemin looked genuinely sad and it seemed like he was way too tired to continue trying hard anymore. he was probably going to give up any moment. jeno knew he had to help in some way, so he locked his phone and left it aside. he got up from his bed and took a wooden chair that was previously placed next to jaemin's bed. it was the same chair that they usually threw their clothes on when they were too tired or, in most cases, lazy.

he moved it next to jaemin's chair and sat down. "what do you need help with?" he asked, making jaemin jump up lightly. the taller got startled because his mind was so occupied by his studies that he never actually noticed jeno moving around.

"uh..." jaemin hummed, going through the pages of his notebook with a blank stare in his eyes. "science."

jeno pressed his lips in a thin line for a moment, watching jaemin's hand switching from one page to another quite swiftly. he kept everything in his notebook so neat and pretty that jeno even felt kind of envious that he wasn't that good at keeping his notes so organized. even when he tried it was never as good. "could you be more specific?"

"i don't know, jeno," jaemin cried out, resting his elbows on the desk and bringing his hands to his face. he let out a tired sigh. "i literally don't understand any of this, i have no idea how i'm going to manage."

the black haired boy clicked his tongue in disapproval. "oh, come on. that's just because you're tired. you're telling me all this yet it's exactly you who always studies so hard and is the smartest kid in class. you've been learning all these things the whole year, the only thing you need now is a simple revision."

he noticed that he didn't really help that way and jaemin still looked like he was going to cry any moment out of frustration. so all jeno could do now was to wrap his arm around jaemin's shoulders and pull him just slightly closer to himself. he started caressing his arm gently, just a little bit below his shoulder. "how much time do you have until the exam?"

jaemin felt weird in jeno's embrace. but he didn't necessarily dislike it. yet he still moved away from him in order to act though and show him that he was perfectly fine without people pitying him. though, really deep inside, he wished there was always someone next to him, who hugged him every time something was wrong. jeno still had his arm wrapped around him but looser this time.

"it's in two days," jaemin finally responded after a minute or two had passed. the feeling of sadness and helplessness that were filling his eyes and voice simply broke jeno's heart.

"maybe... if you don't study all the material at once... and if i help you... then things might work out, hm?" he tilted his head, hoping jaemin would agree. "i will make sure you know everything but also that you don't overwork yourself."

"okay," the brunet agreed, looking back at his roomate and giving him a nod. he already felt slightly more determined when he knew jeno cared enough to help him.

they both smiled at each other before literally seconds later jeno gave jaemin a stern look. "but now, you go to sleep." even his tone changed as if he was a mom, who was scolding jaemin for being up so late.

jaemin just nodded with a smile without protesting. after all, all this struggling had exhausted him a lot. so long for the voluntary staying up late.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/_tototooru?s=09)~


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